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Over 10,000 chickens lost in blaze

Up in smoke: What is left of the poultry pen at Lorong Setia 2, Kuang after being razed by an early morning fire.

KUALA LUMPUR: Farmer Zulkarnain Abdullah could only stand and watch from afar as fire razed his poultry pen, killing 10,500 of his chickens in Lorong Setia 2, Kuang.

He said he was enjoying a comfortable snooze during an earlier downpour at 7am on Saturday, when he was awakened by shouts from neighbours that something was on fire.

“I got up and looked through my window and I saw a big fire in one of the chicken coops. I ran out to try and save the chickens but the heat was too much, I couldn’t get close,” said the 36-year-old who supplies chickens to fast food chain KFC.

Fire and Rescue department officers arrived at the scene at about 7.30am and took an hour to put out the blaze.

“The fire razed about 70% of the two-floor pen. There were no injuries. The owner said around 10,500 chickens were lost in the fire,” said Selangor Fire and Rescue department operations director Mohd Sani Harul.

Early investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a short circuit.

Zulkarnain said the chicken pen, one of three he owned in an oil palm estate, was equipped with lights and air-conditioning for the poultry.

“About 500 chickens survived, they were huddled in the back of the pen where the fire didn’t spread to. I’m sad because it’s such a waste.

“What bad luck! It was raining so heavily earlier and yet there could still be a fire,” said Zulkarnain.